Pyromesh

Wireless sensor networks for rapid, affordable forest fire detection

Wildfires are a major cause of environmental destruction around the world, and whether you're in British Columbia or Australia, they're becoming more common, and more dangerous, thanks to rising populations and more unpredictable weather patterns.

The longer a fire is left to burn, the amount of water required to put it out rises exponentially. This means early detection is key. However, the best technology today relies on visual identification by people at strategic lookout points.

Pyromesh proposes an early warning system for wildfires, using a wireless network of cheap fire sensors distributed at regular intervals through a forest. It can alert the authorities to the early stages of a wildfire, allowing for a quicker response.

As most wildfires are actually started by human activity, it would likely be possible to obtain a good level of coverage by strategically placing Pyromesh nodes near roads, paths and campsites.